Craptastic Cancer

  When my hair started falling out, I decided to shave it all off. I knew I couldn't handle seeing hair in my hands every morning. When the hair loss started, I had my kids all help shave it off with the clippers.  The first few nights, it was hard to sleep with the short hair because it scraped on the pillow and was not soft to the touch. I asked my husband to use his razor and shave my head completely smooth. With some shaving cream and a razor, my head was completely hair-free. That made all the difference in the world! So much more comfortable! My tip to you: shave it ALL off, rock the bald look, and sleep like a baby!

Every time I went to see my oncologist, I did a voice recording of the appointment with my phone.  This was incredibly helpful, especially the first few appointments when everything was new and so confusing.  It is so easy to get fixated on something the doctor says and miss several other things because your mind has wandered off, thinking of that one thing.  I even did the voice recordings when I had a family member in the appointment with me, who took notes.  There is so much information, and it is so nice to be able to go back and listen to it when your mind is no longer reeling and overwhelmed by everything.  When you are new to cancer, there are so many terms and words that are confusing. It's nice to be able to go back home, listen to your appointment, and feel like you have some knowledge and a bit of control over a very uncontrollable situation.  Always ask your doctor first to make sure they are comfortable and okay with you recording the appointme...

It is important to find a doctor you feel comfortable with and have confidence in—especially when facing cancer. When choosing a doctor, I like to start on the Health Grades  website and read patient reviews to get a sense of others' experiences. You can also check other sites like Vitals or RateMDs for more reviews, or ask friends, family, or your primary doctor if they know someone they trust and have had good results with. I always look for board-certified specialists with experience in my type of cancer, and I recommend meeting with the doctor in person to see if the communication feels right. Trust your gut—if you don't feel heard or supported, it's okay to keep looking until you find the right fit.